Ray Romano is a celebrated actor and comedian who first rose to prominence in the smash-hit series Everybody Loves Raymond, charming audiences with his hilarious performance. The critically-acclaimed sitcom famously featured Doris Roberts and Peter Doyle as Raymond’s obnoxious parents/next-door-neighbors, with Patricia Heaton as his overworked and loving wife. The popular program helped establish Romano as a household name and ran for nine seasons, during which the actor took on other memorable roles.
Romano is also widely known for providing the voice of the compassionate-yet-stern wooly mammoth Manny in the blockbuster hit franchise Ice Age, a character he has consistently returned to for 20 years. The actor would go on to show his range outside the comedy world with parts in films like Rob the Mob and The Irishman, and in lauded programs such as Get Shorty and Made For Love. Romano’s next venture will be in the upcoming Apple original film Project Artemis, in which he will appear alongside Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum. Let’s take a look at some of Ray Romano’s best performances.
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9 Parenthood
NBCUniversal Television Distribution
Ray Romano joined the dramedy series Parenthood, an adaptation of the Ron Howard ’80s movie about parenthood that follows the Braverman family as they experience triumphs and tragedies while attempting to navigate the ups and downs of life. At the heart of the clan lies patriarch and matriarch Ezekiel (Craig T. Nelson) and Camille (Bonnie Bedelia), who together raised four diverse children that have gone on to have their own respective families and complicated relationships.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Romano portrayed Hank Rizzoli, the romantic love interest of Sarah Braverman (Lauren Graham), who goes to work for the photographer before ultimately falling in love with the grumpy-yet-kind character. The role was specfically crafted for the actor by series creator Jason Katims after Romano expressed his love for the program and joked he was available.
8 Men of a Certain Age
Warner Bros.
Ray Romano, Andre Braugher, and Scott Bakula portray three longtime friends who attempt to come to terms with being middle-aged in the comedy-drama series Men of a Certain Age, chronicling their misadventures as they set out to find fulfillment and meaning in life once again. In the endearing program co-created by the actor, Romano appears as Joe Tranelli, a single father and gambling addict who owns a party supply store and harbors big dreams of being a professional golfer. Despite only running for two seasons, the dramedy was critically-lauded and went on to win two Peabody Awards; in their glowing review, Entertainment Weekly declared, “Indeed, Men of a Certain Age is downright inspirational to anyone, of any age.”
7 Get Shorty
Epix
Adapted from the Elmore Leonard novel of the same name, the exciting dramedy series Get Shorty centers on mob enforcer and crime boss Miles Daly (Chris O’Dowd), who in an attempt to shed his criminal lifestyle decides to become a movie producer in Hollywood. Though he wishes to go straight, Miles can’t shake his old ways and ends up laundering money with the help of the has-been producer Rick Moreweather (Romano).
The actor sinks his teeth into the role of Daly’s mentor/partner Moreweather, who reluctantly gets roped into Miles’ dangerous operation and teaches him the ins and outs of Tinseltown. Get Shorty currently has three seasons under its belt, though a fourth has yet to be commissioned by Epix.
6 Rob the Mob
Lionsgate
In the 2014 romantic crime drama Rob the Mob, small-time crooks and couple Tommy and Rosie Ulva target mafia social clubs and rob them in Queens, ultimately attracting the unwanted attention of powerful mobsters and the FBI. Based on a true story, the gripping picture touts an impressive ensemble cast including Michael Pitt, Andy García, and Nina Arianda, and Ray Romano.
Romano portrays New York Post columnist Jerry Cardozo who helped Tommy humiliate the dangerous crime bosses after publishing compromising photos of them in the paper. Cardozo tries to keep the young couple safe when the FBI fails to provide sufficient protection, warning them of the severity of their situation.
5 Made for Love
The great Cristin Milioti (Palm Springs) stars as a woman on the run from her overbearing tech billionaire husband in the sci-fi black dramedy Made for Love, in which her character Hazel Green realizes he implanted a chip in her brain that allows him to track her every move and emotion. In the clever comedy series, Ray Romano completely sheds his Everybody Loves Raymond persona by appearing as Hazel’s reclusive, ex-con man father Herbert, who lives out his days on a remote ranch with his extremely realistic sex doll Diane as his partner.
On what attracted him to the eccentric role, Romano once expressed, “I’d never seen anything like it. I’ve never done anything like it — it was different.When each episode ended I wanted to read the next one right there, and that told me all I needed to know. That there’s a story here that’s not just weird to be weird — it’s about something and there’s great people involved.”
4 The Big Sick
Kumail Nanjiani co-wrote and headlined the 2017 Oscar-nominated romantic comedy The Big Short, in which the celebrated actor and comedian portrays a fictionalized version of himself while recounting how he met and fell in love with his wife. In the moving film, Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan portray an interracial couple who struggle with cultural differences and family expectations, all of which become more complicated when his love interest Emily develops an illness.
Romano gives a touching performance as Emily’s protective father Terry, who at first is wary of her daughter’s suitor but eventually develops an endearing bond with the young man. The Big Short was a knockout with both critics and audiences, earning numerous accolades and currently holding a 98% Rotten Tomatoes score.
3 The Irishman
Netflix
Martin Scorsese directed the 2019 star-studded gangster drama The Irishman, which saw the revered filmmaker reunited with frequent collaborators Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci to chronicle the life of notorious mob enforcer Frank Sheeran and his early crime beginnings. The A-list cast also features Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel and Stephen Graham, with Ray Romano portraying mob lawyer Bill Bufalino, who represented labor union leader Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino) and the Bufalino crime family.
The epic film went on to earn universal praise for its powerful performances, Scorsese’s direction and clever screenplay, nabbing a whopping 10 Oscar nominations; it was one of the most-streamed Netflix originals ever, having been watched by 64 million households in its first month of release.
2 Ice Age Franchise
20th Century Fox
The 2002 blockbuster animated hit Ice Age famously focuses on three vastly different mammals as they attempt to navigate and make it out of the Paleolithic ice age alive. Centering on the stern woolly mammoth Manny (Ray Romano), the derisive saber-toothed cat Diego (Dennis Leary) and wise-cracking ground sloth Sid (John Leguizamo), the first installment of the popular Ice Age franchise depicts the trio’s efforts to return a human baby to its tribe after being separated. The series was a massive hit that helped launch numerous sequels, spin-offs, video games and television specials, raking in over $6 billion and becoming one of the most lucrative media franchises of all time.
1 Everybody Loves Raymond
CBS TelevisionWarner Bros.
The beloved and enduring sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond is without-a-doubt Romano’s most cherished and noteworthy project to date, in which the performer stars as the sarcastic, everyman sportswriter Raymond Barone who has a loving family but is continuously pestered by his obnoxious and overbearing parents and brother who live across the street. The series ran for 9 successful seasons, delivering steady ratings during its tenure and earning 15 Primetime Emmy Awards (including a win for Romano). Everybody Loves Raymond has landed on countless critics’ list for best TV shows of all time including TV Guide, Rolling Stone and Complex, and its series finale attracted 32.94 million viewers.
Romano reflected on the legacy of the fan-favorite sitcom with Yahoo! Entertainment, have stated, “I like that it still holds up. It still resonates. People see themselves in it, even though times change. It’s funny because it could look dated, because just technology-wise, everything is different. But I think the emotion of it is very relatable. I’m proud of it.”
